Suspension and weighting means of top rolls of a drafting machine



N 3, 1966 v. PIERANNUNZI ETAL 3,233,367

SUSPENSION AND WEIGHTING MEANS OF TOP ROLLS OF A DRAFTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1965 /e 1 i 3/ I i "I INVENTORS VITO L. PIERANNUNZI YHENRY A. HURT ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,283,367 SUSPENSION AND WEIGI-ITING MEANS OF TOP ROLLS OF A DRAFTING MACHINE Vito L. Pierannunzi, Greensboro, and Henry A. Hurt, Albemarle, N.C., assignors to Dixie Machine & Tool Company, a corporation of North Carolina Filed Oct. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 318,854 1 Claim. (Cl. 19-278) This invention relates to a drafting mechanism for textiles.

Heretofore, drafting systems have used end caps or end gudgeons for positioning the top rolls with relation to the bottom rolls of a drafting system for maintaining parallelism between the successive rolls. A more recent design has eliminated the cap bars and used a center suspension for the pairs of top rolls engaging the top roll assemblies between the top roll cots. This center suspension extended from a lengthwise extending back bar along the drawing frame, as an overarm to the top back roll and served as a part of a saddle for weighting the top rolls. The top roll arbors rotated and were exposed between the cots which served as a lint collecting trap for lint and further as the back rolls were buffed or ground, there was a tendency to lose the desired weighing on the back roll due to interference between the slotted back saddle and back bar which was aggravated by the lint collected in the back saddle slot.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a weighting system which will be completely independent of the suspension system for the top rolls in a system in which cap bars are eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system with no cap bars and no overarms and thus one which is less complex than systems heretofore provided.

Another object of this invention is to shield the rotating parts which might act to pick up lint and provide a system in which suction lint pickup may keep this system free of lint.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement which may be easily applied to existing frames by simple changeover.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a weighting system in which as the top rolls are surfaced or ground down to a smallersize, there will be zero interference with the weighting after such grinding of the top roll cots.

Another object of this invention is to reduce the weighting of the rolls and yet maintain yarn control.

A further object is to materially reduce power consumption and wear of moving parts by less weighting of the rolls than heretofore.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a fragmental portion of a drawing mechanism illustrating the absence of cap bars or overarms in the frame;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the frame;

FIG. 3 is a detail of one of the top rolls illustrating the shielding of its arbor and the hearings in the shield for the arbor;

FIG. 4 is an elevation of the suspension bracket from the back bar to the back top roll; and

FIG. 5 is an elevation of the saddle for weighting the rolls.

In proceeding with this invention, we have provided a suspension bracket from the back bar which extends lengthwise of the frame to each of the back top roll assemblies along the frame by pivoting this bracket to the back bar and extending it below the lower back roll and up between the lower back roll and the next or intermediate roll so that it may hook over the back top roll assembly and serve to position this top roll assembly in the desired position relative to the bottom roll. This bracket is completely independent of the saddle mechanism which serves to position the intermediate top roll assembly and the front roll assembly from this back roll assembly and through which saddle weighting of the three top rolls occurs. The Weighting is thus completely independent of the suspension bracket, thus placing no pressure upon the back bar but concentrating all pressure on the three top rolls urging them toward their companion bottom rolls, making the weight applied more effective and considerable reduction in weighting possible.

With reference to the drawings, 10 designates generally the frame of the drafting mechanism which has bearings 11, 12 and 13 for the bottom rolls 14, 15 and 16 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which textend lengthwise of the frame and are keyed together to rotate from gears at one end of the frame (the drive mechanism not being shown). There is also a back bar 20 which extends the length of the frame and is spaced from the back roll 16.

Top rolls engage each of the bottom rolls, and the top rolls are each in the form of assemblies as may be seen in FIG. 3 comprising an arbor 21 to which there is fixed cots 22 and 23 so as to rotate with this arbor- These cots are secured in position by threaded extensions24 at the ends thereof. A sleeve 25 extends between the cots 22 and 23 and has bearings 26 at either end thereof for rotatably supporting the arbor 21. This sleeve thus may be fixed While the arbor 21 and the cots rotate therein. The bearings 26 may be either nylon or needle hearings or any other suitable anti-friction hearing.

The front top roll assembly constructed substantially as above described is designated 30. The middle top roll assembly is designated 31, and the back top roll assembly is designated 32. Each is directly above its companion bottom rolls 14, 15 and 16.

In order to hold these top roll assemblies in position, we provide a bracket 35 (FIG. 4) which has an enlarged end 36 with an opening 37 by which it is pivoted upon the back bar 20 and extends beneath the back roll 16 and is provided with a hook end 38 to engage the top roll assembly 32 between the cots thereof, thus engaging the sleeve such as 25 of this assembly in the reduced portion 28 thereof, thus serving to maintain this top back roll assembly 32 in position lengthwise of the bottom roll 16 and also to position it in a desired location above the top roll 16 so that it will rotate therewith without the need of end gudgeons or supports from overarms which has heretofore been usual.

A saddle assembly which is designated generally 40 (see FIG. 5) comprises a back saddle 41 with downwardly extending spaced arms 42 notched as at 43 so as to straddle the hooked portion 38 which engages the back top roll assembly with a portion 44 extending forwardly to which a center saddle 45 is secured by means of a screw extending through slot 46 so as to secure it thereto in desired position. This center saddle has arms 47 notched as at 48 to engage the middle top roll assembly 31 so as to hold this assembly in the desired position above the middle roll 15. These arms 42 engage the sleeve 25 of the top roll assembly as above mentioned. The front saddle 49 has a pair of arms 50 which are notched as at 51 so as to engage the front top roll assembly 30 and a portion 52 to extend over the back and center saddles and is secured thereto by a rockable connection 53 held at a desired location by a screw 54 in a slot in this extension 52 of the front saddle.

A stirrup 60 engages the threaded member 61 on the top of the front saddle 49 and extends between the front lower roll 14 and the middle lower roll 15 where a at 63 in the bracket 64 so that its weight is hung on the outer end of the lever 62 the weight will be applied to the saddle assembly and distributed to all three of the upper rolls above described.

Inasmuch as the saddle assembly is completely indej pendent of the suspension 35 and in a position to receive no downward pressing, no force of the weight will be P applied to the back bar or to this suspension bracket and thus changing in size of the cots of the back roll will in ,1 no way affect the suspensionand in no way affect the weighting of the back roll.

Itwill be apparent from the above description that we j have/provided a drafting mechanism in which the roll 1 suspension system is completely independent of the weighting system and offers zero interference to weighting even after successive grinding of top roll cots yet this system is adaptable to most any type frame regardless of weighting utilized and involves few parts, thus eliminating many dust or lint collecting points. Further by reason of the shielded arbors the possibility of collecting lint at this I point is reduced. The overall cleaning problems and maintenance problems are simplified and the roll life is lengthened. Further constant weighting even after repeated grindings on top rolls assures an evener run of yarn.

mechanical weighting is supplied by means'o'flever 62 engaging the lower end of the stirrup 60 and fulcrum as 4 We claim: In a drafting mechanism for textiles,a frame havinga back bar, a plurality of driven bottom rolls including intermediate and lback bottom rolls supported. in said frame, a plurality of-pairs of top rolls including a pair of back top rolls each in an assembly comprising'an arbor with spaced cots thereon, suspension means for said back top rolls pivoted on said back bar and extending from the a back bar beneath said back bottomroll and between the back and intermediate bottom rolls and engaging, said assembly of back top rolls between said cots, saddle means independent of said suspension :means engaging said top :back rolls and means to weight said saddle means and in turn said top rolls.

The pivoted bracket belowthe rolls enables the bracket to pivot freely about the back bar and providesexcellent weighting characteristics without the need of cap bars or mechanical bars to maintain the rolls in alignment or position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES :PATENTS MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

DONALD W. PARKER, Examiner.

D. NEWTON, Assistant Examiner. 

